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Understanding the Quality of Life for Parents and Their Children Who have Asthma: Family Resources and Challenges

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Abstract

In this study we investigated the links between caregiver burden, family environment, and quality of life in 97 pairs of children with asthma and the one who was determined to be the primary family caregiver. Using structural equation modeling, within-participant analyses showed that family environment was positively linked to quality of life for both children and parents. Across-participant analyses demonstrated that parents’ positive perceptions of family environment were associated with parents’ and children’s improved quality of life. In addition, parents’ perceptions of family environment mediated the link between caregiver burden and parents’ and children’s quality of life. Implications for intervention with families are discussed in light of this study’s important results.

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Notes

  1. For simplicity, we opted to use the term children when referring to this study’s sample comprised of both children and adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Apartado 6153, 3001-802, Coimbra, Portugal

    Carla Crespo, Carlos Carona, Neuza Silva & Maria Cristina Canavarro

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Frank Dattilio

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  1. Carla Crespo
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  2. Carlos Carona
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  3. Neuza Silva
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  4. Maria Cristina Canavarro
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  5. Frank Dattilio
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Correspondence to Carla Crespo.

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Crespo, C., Carona, C., Silva, N. et al. Understanding the Quality of Life for Parents and Their Children Who have Asthma: Family Resources and Challenges. Contemp Fam Ther 33, 179–196 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-011-9155-5

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